Sometimes I want something light for dinner. And by light, I mean no heavy sauce but still rockin’ with flavor and satisfying. I played around with this light olive oil sauce a couple times until my husband actually requested it! Totally caught me by surprise since my steak-and-potato man usually doesn’t enjoy lighter dishes…. shows how amazingly tasty my garlic chicken pasta recipe turned out. Have you heard about the controversy between real and fake olive oil? Apparently the Mob or some really scary rich people have been producing olive oil for 20 plus years with less quality oils (canola, sunflower seed, etc.) and claiming it’s 100% olive oil. They might as well take out their huge wallets and smack us across the face! There are home taste tests, refrigerator tests, and other purity tests which can help you determine whether or not the brand of olive oil you’re using is the real deal. AND there’s also controversy within the controversy. So… what do I do with all the conflicting info? My best research and stick with a brand I feel is legit. Unless you want to spend $54 for a small bottle of the most expensive pure olive oil (I looked it up), here are four brands that have passed the standards established by the International Olive Council. Since I love my Costco, I usually go with Kirkland. You may have noticed that I’m a big fan of dinners that combine chicken and vegetables like my Chicken Fiesta Soup, Pineapple Chicken Fried Rice, and my Pasta Primivera recipes. I’m not against side dishes. Especially if the side dish is asparagus with coconut oil. However, I love the combination...

I’m spoiled. I mean COMPLETELY spoiled. Not only have I been able to travel to several countries, but I also have lived in Hong Kong and Taiwan. For my fellow Americans, we’re being robbed. Robbed of true authentic Chinese food! They have luscious fruits and vegetables that are not even found in the States! **Moment for my pity-party** Okay, let me reel it in a little bit. I love me some true Chinese food. It sparks memories of an amazing, unique culture that I’ve grown to love. That’s why lots of love went into this colorful Steak Stir Fry recipe. As for my HHFC (Handsome Husband Food Critic), I think I caught him licking his plate when I started cleaning up after dinner. Okay, I can’t hold back my food photography inner-nerd. Tasty Food Photography… what have you done to me?!?! Look at all the colors! Bell pepper… red and in your face! Broccoli… you green crunchy little devil. Steak… oh you juicy, medium-rare steak… get in my belly! Not only are there lots of contrasting colors, there are lots of complimenting flavors. When eating a stir fry in Taiwan, I enjoyed the textures and natural flavors of the vegetables accented by a mild sauce. Don’t worry. You’ll still get the saltiness you crave from soy sauce, but why insult our vibrant friends… the veggies, I’m talking about the veggies… by smothering them in a sauce that’s more like a gravy? Okay, I think it’s time. Pull up a chair and let’s discuss rice. Rice is NOT made equally. It ranges from grainy to sticky. If you’ve attempted chopsticks, you know grainy is a no-go. Sticky. We...

Here’s how I usually celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. I’m out running errands with my kids. As I push my cart down an aisle at Target, I notice a little girl with an adorable green outfit. While passing, I smile and compliment her cute green hair bow. I keep shopping and stop by a woman who has on some lavish green nail polish. I naively continue on my way until a boy runs pass me with a green shirt on. I stop. It’s St. Patrick’s Day! I quickly scan myself and my kids searching for any sign of green. Nope. No green. Since I want to spare my kids from a pinch-happy child at our library class, I head to find some green stickers or green ribbon or green face paint. Just something GREEN, people! I’m usually unsuccessful and decide to take the risk and head to the library anyway despite being green-less. We get home, a few pinches later, and I promise myself to remember next year’s St. Patrick’s Day. Am I the only mama out here forgetting the green? Well, whether you remember or not, at least you can sneak some green into your day by making this quick and easy Broccoli, Cheese, and Rice Casserole. I love cooking with fresh vegetables. Not only do they have a bold dynamic flavor, but the colors pop. Especially broccoli! I mean look at how beautiful and bright the green is! What? Doesn’t everyone get giddy over the vibrant colors in their food? Apparently, neither does my husband. Whenever I cooked with broccoli, I started noticing that...

Chicken, broccoli, and pasta just belong together. You can’t go wrong with combining these three ingredients. On those busy ‘it’s 5 and I have no idea what I’m making for dinner’ days, I recommend having these ingredients on hand. It will become one of your favorite easy go-to dinners. It’s quick, flavorful, and healthy. Your family will love it too. For my gluten-free friends, I think the hardest part would be giving up pasta! I’ve tried a few gluten-free pastas and think they’re pretty tasty. My husband, however, does not agree. So… you know I don’t give up easily. My goal with anything healthy my husband dislikes is trial and error until something sticks. I snuck Goldbaum’s Brown Rice Pasta into this dish and he cleaned his plate. That’s code for he liked it! For a whole wheat pasta option, I’m a fan of Garofalo pasta. It tastes like Italy (prego… that’s Italian for ‘you’re welcome’). It’s high quality with great texture and taste. I can really tell a difference between this pasta and cheaper options. Print Chicken and Broccoli Pasta Ingredients 3 Tbs olive oil 1 small sweet onion diced 1 Tbs minced garlic 2 14.5 oz canned organic diced tomatoes, 1 can drained and 1 can with juices 4 cups fresh broccoli cut into florets 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 2 Tbs Italian seasoning 3 large chicken breasts thawed and cut into 1 inch pieces 1 lbs dry whole wheat or gluten-free brown rice penne pasta prepared according to package directions 2 Tbs fresh grated Parmesan cheese Instructions In a large skillet...